What does Maryam Rahmani sound like?

Traditional Persian meets flamenco improvisation.

The review of ‘Kamand’ by Maryam Rahmani

Rooted in deep Persian tradition is Maryam Rahmani’s debut album ‘Kamand’. That’s not just because the majority of the music is performed around the santur, an old hammered dulcimer full of Persian charm. It’s because each track is a mixture of improvisation and translations of classical Persian standards. Mixed in are words from 13th and 14th-century mystics, and this melting pot of ideas creates one of the most intriguing and unusual albums I’ve discovered in 2025. It pulls you in with its wondrous sounds and keeps you entranced with its magical performances.

The album opens with the 14-minute magnum opus ‘Delbar’. Here, we move between dulcimer and piano in movements, rarely crossing over, but each has its own mood and colour. Some sections are brooding, with Maryam’s voice delicately balancing passion and pain. Other parts are like waterfall backsplashes that create a mysterious cascade of curiosity. Rahmani uses moments of space and peace to create calm transitions, and the whole track conveys a sense of air.

‘Encanto’ follows with poise and prowess. Rahmani’s santur is locked into a whirlpool of joy and abundance, backed by a galloping kick drum. Again, this track avoids any traditional song structure and focuses on rousing movements of growing santur power. Like a tornado generating its own fuel, the song spirals into abandon until it winds down and out like a cam toy. ‘Anchor’ follows like morning dew. Glassy half-pulled strings hint at fully formed motifs over Maryam’s vocals before a more jazzier, pizzicato structure takes over. Add in sawing cello, plucky hand percussion, and ethereal, free-flowing vocalisation, and you have another blossoming beauty. It’s ‘Anchor’ that fully introduces us to the kamancheh, an Iranian bowed instrument that exudes passion and wisdom. Whether it’s serenely bending strings or hacksawing away with vigour, the kamancheh adds an ancient texture to the music that stands out from the crowd.

The santur returns for ‘The Corner (I)’ and ‘The Corners (II)’. The duo of tracks are the uplifting, celebratory cornerstone of the album. The first is a full-bodied ballad, whilst the second has an Irish jig bounce to it with the supporting cello. Whilst this album is largely straight-to-ear recordings, there is some clever use of echo, volume, and effects on these tracks to shift musical elements in and out. There is a dreamlike quality to them, like the mind is shifting focus between different songs. Both tracks allow Maryam’s vocals to shine through her wide dynamic range. From punchy bellows to intimate calls, it is a wonderful ride.

The closing trio of tracks continue to offer unusual and captivating perspectives. ‘Chahargah’ is an almost instrumental piece that showcases the santur as an ephemeral instrument. The first half of the track is a cloudy haze of mysticism before a flamenco-like percussive machine-gun beat arrives to provide a santur and drum explosion for an extended outro solo. ‘Khayyam’ is a jazzy-bluesy mood piece for piano and kamancheh. Like the distant pied piper, the strings evolve into a jig backed by flamenco hand claps and chants. That leads to the bombastic closer ‘The Lasso’. This is a double-bass and percussive groove that plays the kamancheh like a Japanese shamisen as Maryam sings in a stop-start nature. With yet another song that eshews traditional structures, these final trio all feel like movements of feelings rather than songs with verses, choruses or hooks.

Yet, that is part of what makes ‘Kamand’ so captivating. Songs blossom and bloom from nowhere to give repeated surprises. You are never sure where the next curveball will take you, but it always pleases wherever you land. This is a serpentine-like album of curious wonders, and Maryam Rahmani has created a gem. It is unbashedly proud of its Persian and Iranian roots, and integrates surrounding borders of culture to create a heady cocktail that I can’t get enough of. Superb. More hammered dulcimers in music, please!

Recommended track: Encanto

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